Natural cheese is generally made by developing acidity in milk and setting the milk with a clotting agent, such as rennet, or by developing acidity to the isoelectric point of the protein. The set milk is cut and whey is separated from the resulting curd. The curd may be pressed to provide a cheese block. Curing typically takes place over a lengthy period of time under controlled conditions. Cheddar cheese, for example, is cured for a period of at least four months and may be cured for a period in excess of one year to obtain the full flavor desired in cheddar cheese.
It is well known to provide a product having some of the characteristics of natural cheese by grinding a natural cheese, and heating it with an emulsifying salt. The name given to the resulting product depends upon the ingredients used and its composition and, in some instances, is determined by regulations promulgated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 21 C.F.R. .sctn.133.169-180. For example, the term "pasteurized process cheese" refers to a product comprising a blend of cheeses to which an emulsifying agent, usually an emulsifying salt, and possibly acids, have been added, and which has then been worked and heated into a homogeneous plastic mass. The flavor of process cheese is dependent on utilizing a high proportion of long hold (aged over four months) natural cheese. The use of long hold cheese increases the cost of process cheese due to storage and inventory costs. The yield of natural cheese produced by conventional methods is relatively low, about 10-12 pounds of cheese are produced per 100 pounds of milk. This also increases costs.
The term "pasteurized process cheese food" refers to a product which is prepared from the same materials and the same processes used for manufacture of process cheese. However, cheese food generally has dairy ingredients added thereto, such as cream, milk, skimmed milk, whey, or any of these from which part of the water has been removed (e.g., concentrated skimmed milk). The moisture level in process cheese food is generally higher than that of process cheese and may be up to about 44%. Fat is generally present at a level of not less than 23%.
The term "pasteurized process cheese spread" refers to a product which is similar to cheese food, in the sense that it can contain the indicated dairy ingredients. Process cheese spread, however, may have a moisture level as high as 60%, and a minimum fat level of 20%.
Process cheese, process cheese food and process cheese spread are referred to as "standardized products", since their methods of manufacture and composition are determined by Federal Standards of Identity.
As used herein, the term "process cheese-type products" includes those products known and referred to as "pasteurized process cheese", "pasteurized process cheese food", "pasteurized process cheese spread", and "pasteurized process cheese product". "Process cheese type-products" also includes products resembling process cheese, process cheese food, process cheese spread and process cheese product, but which may not meet the U.S. Federal Standards of Identity for any of the above products in that they may contain ingredients not specified by such Standards, such as vegetable oil or vegetable protein, or may not meet the compositional requirements of such Standards. Process cheese-type products also include products having flavor and texture similar to those of a process cheese-type product regardless of the ingredients or manufacturing steps employed, and regardless of whether the Standards have been met.
There have been many efforts to produce a highly flavored cheese ingredient, which can be used in process cheese, in a shortened period of time. U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,483 to Hagburg, et al. is directed to a method for producing a highly flavored cheese ingredient. In the process of the Hagburg, et al. patent, cheese curd is first produced. In the method of the Hagburg, et al. patent, "green" cheddar-type cheese curds are combined with a protease, a lipase and water and the mixture is incubated for a period of time. As used in the Hagburg, et al. patent, the term "green" cheddar-type cheese curd refers to a cheddar cheese which has been aged less than about 60 days. The cheese curd is ground before it is mixed with the lipase, protease and water. The mixture is then incubated for a period of about 51/2 days.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,900 to Dooley is directed to producing a natural cheese product having a highly intensified American cheese flavor which is adapted for use in the preparation of process cheese. In the method, cheese curd is produced in the usual way, wherein a coagulum is produced from milk, the coagulum is cut to produce curds and whey and the whey is drained to provide cheese curds. The curd particles are produced, mixed with salt, a source of lipolytic enzyme and a source of a proteolytic enzyme and cured for a period of time sufficient to produce increased levels of C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 fatty acids, as compared to conventional American-type cheese.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,732 to Kratochvil is directed to a method for rapidly producing cheese. In the method, rennet, kid lipase and calf lipase are mixed with milk during the fermenting period. The milk is then coagulated and cut into curd particles followed by processing by the normal procedure for producing cheddar cheese, which includes a whey draining step. The curd is formed into a cheese block and the cheese block is aged for about 10 weeks to provide an intense aged cheddar cheese flavor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,544 to Kosikowski describes a method for producing cheddar cheese from pasteurized milk wherein an enzyme mixture is added to cheddared curds to substantially reduce the curing time of the cheese block. The cheese blocks are cured for a period of one month at 10.degree.-25.degree. C.
It would be desirable to provide a method for producing a highly flavored cheese product which does not involve a whey drainage step and which can be accomplished in a short period of time.
It is another object of the invention to produce a highly flavored cheese product by a method which results in an increased yield in excess of 95%.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a process for producing a highly flavored cheese product in a short period of time with minimal whey removal.